Apnea

And so the emerging value of smartphones as a tool for diagnosing various medical conditions continues to grow. Recent advances have raised the possibility of using phones to detect ailments like ear infections, cervical cancer, HIV and syphilis. Now, researchers at the University of Washington (UW) have created an app they claim can detect sleep apnea with similar accuracy to available methods, potentially removing the need for expensive equipment and overnight hospital stays.
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Sleep apnea – it’s noisy, unhealthy and dangerous, and it affects up to 24 percent of men 9 percent of women in the US. Night Shift is a new device designed to help people with sleep apnea and snoring issues. These problems are aggravated by sleeping on the back, so the device, which is worn at the back of the neck, vibrates and prompts wearers to move position.
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According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, an estimated 22 million Americans suffer from various forms of sleep apnea, a condition where the throat passage is blocked during sleep. Further to an immediate inability to breathe, if left untreated the condition can lead to more serious ailments, such as heart problems, stroke and diabetes. Current solutions can be both costly and uncomfortable, but researchers from Australia's CSIRO have developed a 3D-printed mouthpiece that can be personalized for each patient, potentially adding a more practical alternative to the mix.
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Although it’s normal for infants to have some disruptions in their breathing while sleeping, prolonged periods of sleep apnea can cause their blood oxygen levels to fall dangerously low, sometimes even resulting in death – this is a particular risk for babies born prematurely. Usually, when an infant does stop breathing while asleep, all that’s required to get them started again is a gentle nudge or some other kind of disturbance. Unfortunately, however, neonatal wards in developing nations are often understaffed, so nurses might not notice a non-breathing infant until it’s too late. That’s why a group of five bioengineering students from Houston’s Rice University invented the Babalung Apnea Monitor.
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Demonstrated during this month's International Robot Exhibition (IREX) in Tokyo, Jukusui-Kun is a polar bear-shaped robotic pillow that, like Paro the seal-bot, masks a serious purpose beneath its cute and cuddly exterior. Jukusui-Kun is designed to help snorers and those who live with them - whenever snoring becomes too loud (and sleep apnea becomes a danger), the robot raises its paw and gently touches the sleeper's face to trigger a change of sleeping position.
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Two years ago, University of Utah assistant professor of electrical engineering Neal Patwari demonstrated how radio signals could be used to “see” people through solid walls. Now, he is leading a team that is using that same technology to wirelessly monitor peoples’ breathing as they sleep. The system could be particularly useful for observing patients who are recovering from surgery, people with sleep apnea, and babies who are at risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). While respiration-monitoring systems do already exist, Patwari’s doesn’t require anything to be physically attached to the subject’s body, plus he claims that it should be cheaper.
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Loud snoring is not just a tiring irritation for partners but can also be a sign of sleep apnea. The National Institutes of Health reports that more than 12 million Americans suffer from the most common of the three varieties - obstructive sleep apnea, where the upper airway is repeatedly blocked during sleep. There are a number of treatment options already available and Minneapolis-based Inspire Medical Systems is about to add a shocking new addition to the treatment options on offer. The new system - which is about to enter clinical trials - electrically stimulates the nerve at the base of the tongue to keep it from blocking the air's journey to and from the lungs, and so offers the patient a good night's sleep.
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My snoring doesn’t worry me – however, my wife finds it a pain in the neck. And while it might be stopping her from getting a good’s night sleep, it could be doing me more harm if it’s a sign that I’m suffering from sleep apnea – a condition in which patients pause during breathing while asleep, denying themselves oxygen. For US$2.99 snorers (or their long-suffering partners) can purchase a new iPhone app developed by Remote Analysis Ltd, a telemedicine provider from Finland, that analyzes snoring and advises if the patient should seek medical help.
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